The 90’s, that’s when yours truly and many others in the artist space were born, the 90’s were when we had classics like Sonic the Hedgehog (before Sega brutally murdered him), Rugrats, Pepperann and more that made us who we are today. Texas emcee The Fifth Estate has taken this aesthetic and not just made a project inspired by it, but a full tape immersed to the point you feel like you went in a time machine back to dope raps and beats for the cookout.

When I first heard about the project I was hype, a tape with some 90s sounding beats with Fifth Estate just ripping through the production like a cypher sounded right up my alley. However he’s created so much more than that basic idea, because the 90s were more than that. In fact the intro to the tape reminded me a lot of Chance’s intro to “Acid Rap” done Fifth Estate style. The next two tracks “What It Is” & “Soul (We Got)” show how dedicated Fifth is to this. I pray I get to see Fifth live because the hook in “What It Is” is perfect for calling back to the audience.

Speaking of “Soul (We Got)” brings me to the production and if I’m being frank it blew me away, this wasn’t what I was expecting at all. Again when approached with the tape, I expected 90s instrumentals some that I had heard some that I hadn’t, instead the team of Jay Humble, Tyler Wrighteous, m o o n & Zou High throw you right into the 90s with a number of sounds. “Soul (We Got)” evoked an Exile feel and the Jay Humble produced “Back Home” can’t help but have you in your feels as we enter adulthood.

The Fifth Estate’s approach to “Stuck In The 90s” is varied, he’s not just taking the stereotypical route. It would have been real easy to take Nas’ “The World Is Yours” and the like and just tear through every beat but have his own spin on it. Instead we get a bit of everything from The Fifth Estate, he adds a bit of singing to the tracks, changing up the tempo. But then we also get tracks like “Manifest” where we get an aggressive Fifth Estate speaking his truth over a trippy beat beat by m o o n.

This is a creative release and The Fifth Estate’s praise of the 90s is unapologetically drenched in nostalgia while not sticking to one 90s stereotype. The potential is easily there and I’m really curious to see what a full-length from The Fifth Estate would sound like. For now though jump in the time machine and head back to the 90’s.

Beats, instrumentals, loops are all important facets of hip-hop culture, yet somehow still after all this time, the sounds of hip-hop are overlooked and underrated in favor of “bangers”. Even classics like Dilla’s “Donuts” or the more recent “Petestrumentals 2” have many hip-hop fans deeming these projects as “dope beats”. However I challenge you to open your ears and mind a bit, to see how these artists aren’t just putting together sounds, it’s much bigger than that.

Enter Boston’s Rah Zen, who’s varied instrumentals and sounds are meant to evoke more than “yo this is dope”, he wants to take you somewhere with his album “Midnight Satori”. From the first track “Lunar Eclipse” to the title track closer, I immediately got a Flying Lotus “You’re Dead” vibe. Rah Zen pulls elements from in and outside of hip-hop, the vinyl crackle, the vocal samples and more all come together to make a cohesive project, that is diverse enough to have you going back and listening again, recognizing facets of the music you didn’t before.

“Midnight Satori” doesn’t attack your ears with booming bass drops and high hats, but rather encourages a state of relaxation and reflection. Light snares and ambient bass lines give the album a flow that eases you into the experience and craving more. “Astral Love” is probably my favorite track on this and it’s only heartbreaking because it’s a mere 70 seconds long, but those 70 seconds had me in my feels and playing the joint back when those three simple words drop “I love you.”

“Midnight Satori” is one of my favorite projects from this year, Rah Zen’s approach to his music and art is different from most and it comes out in the music. My suggestion is take this in your late night hours when you can’t sleep and let this play. I genuinely feel you can get some type of meditation or relaxation out of “Midnight Satori”, it is an album to be experienced not just beats compiled to sound “dope”. You can stream “Midnight Satori” out now courtesy of DomeOfDoom Records.

R&B is an interesting space these days, still underrated in my opinion and not absorbed fully, all that said there are plenty of talented artists in the R&B space. UK artist Nathaniel Shalom is here with his EP “Hearing Voices Produced Substance”. Spurred by a stage where Shalom was dealing with anxiety, depression and panic attacks, he gives us seven songs to express himself.

Off top, Nathaniel Shalom can sing, his voice is heavenly and hypnotizing and this EP was a joy to listen to. I believe Nathaniel Shalom is meant to be the star and focus on the EP, the production doesn’t grab you, but Shalom’s voice really is captivating enough to carry the project. You can feel the love in joints like “Wake Up In The Morning” & “U Turn Love”.

My only gripes come in when you take the project as a whole, Shalom clearly can sing but sometimes the emotion seems held back. The lyrics are decent however they can get kind of stale as some of the songs extend well over the three minute mark.

All of this said, Nathaniel Shalom is a talented artist with stories to tell, I’m interested to see where Shalom goes, because if he continues to grow as an artist and continues to get more confident with his voice, watch out. A full-length from this man could really shake up the genre and I’m excited at the prospect of it. You can stream “Hearing Voices Produced By Substance” below, let me know what you think.

I personally still think Detroit is one of the most legendary places in hip-hop history yet doesn’t get the recognition it deserves for the talent it’s produced AND continues to produce. J Dilla, Proof, Danny Brown, Red Pill, Black Milk, House Shoes, the list goes on and on and on. One of the most recent upstarts from Detroit is Nolan the Ninja. Last year he released his debut LP “he(art)” (in fact I had just copped the vinyl when YEN was announced) to critical acclaim. Nolan took the boom bap sound and evolved it. Cats so often say boom bap is boring and on the way out, but I’m not sure how one can say that after listening to an artist like Nolan who demands the mic, speaks the truth, while also speaking a confidence only someone who has paid dues could.

17 tracks deep Nolan is doing his own thing as he always has, nowadays cats say a project is too long if it has 10 tracks and is over a half hour, not Nolan. We get 17 tracks that add up to almost an hour and it’s all worth it. Nolan picks up where we left off, this time with more experience under his belt, but the mission remains the same. Tracks like 14K and Lei$ure (which features Blu) speak on the grind Nolan has been on this entire time “I been through the trials, living ain’t an easy pill to swallow, like being booed at the Apollo”. That’s just one example of Nolan speaking his peace and reminding the listener pursuing your goals is a difficult journey. Are you up for it?

Nolan is one of the most versatile emcees I think we have around these days. When you hear him on a track it’s easy to get lost in his booming voice (every time I play him for friends they think he’s like DMX Jr.) but if you pay attention to what the Detroit emcee is saying “YEN” is as much of Nolan speaking his peace as it is him calling us to action. One of my favorite parts of Nolan’s music is when he slows everything down and is just spelling out and venting to the audience. The title track “YEN” & “Schoolcraft” which close out the album has Nolan opening up to us, this man’s been through alot and in coming out on top he’s encouraging us to push through the trials life has to offer.

“YEN” is the continued evolution of Nolan the Ninja, honestly I would’ve been just as hype and ecstatic had we got a slightly upgraded “he(art)”. What we got was what happened to Nolan after the release of “he(art)”. Nolan is aware of the times, it’s easy to get discouraged when you look around. Nolan is telling us to remain focused and to keep pushing forward. Don’t take my word for it? We also get features from Royce Da 5’9, Denmark Vessey, Jaye Prime, A-Minus, Blu and more. Those are hefty cosigns for a sophomore album, Nolan is the truth and one of the best artists out right now. Let’s just prey we get a lot more from before he retires at 35.

I’ve said it a million times it feels like since the election, things have only gotten darker. Thankfully artists in hip-hop have taken a multitude of approaches to this, some like Chance the Rapper and Mikeyy Austin go against the grain to spread positivity. Others prefer to use these dark times to reflect and analyze the world in front of them. A.L. Laureate and Soulseeker choose the latter as the duo Flesh of the Mind, and today I have a review of their self-titled album.

Off top this is a dark album, there’s no ifs, ands or buts about it, this album is dark, both SoulSeeker and A.L both go into some deep personal subjects. There’s a loose theme throughout the EP of the end of days and at points on the EP the duo almost make it seem like they’re a part of this post-apocalyptic world they’ve created here. Numerous times on the project the two touch on the idea of the end of the world, or a world where politicians have successfully brainwashed the nation making us robots, lacking creativity.

Flesh of the Mind though permeates with creativity, Soulseeker’s production really puts you in the dark, depressing mood that matches the lyricism of Flesh of the Mind. It’s never repetitive either, Soulseeker’s atmospheric and downtrodden beats do enough to switch up the sounds making the EP a diverse experience.

Duos are a lost art in hip-hop (let alone collaboration but that’s for another time), Soulseeker and A.L have crafted a nice niche EP with this. It’s not going to be for everyone, everything from the production to the lyrics of our heroes are drenched in darkness and a lack of hope. People like me who spend dark nights thinking too much love this type of music, but it isn’t for everyone. I pray we get a full-length from Flesh of the Mind next year, their approach to the music is different from what we’re used to, challenging, provoking thought not afraid of what lies beyond the shadows.

Virginia emcee NoFace Rapper stepped on the scene for us back in January with his debut EP “Wintercoat”. The project was fitting for the winter time as it seems that’s when life is the most brutal. In fact I remember having just lost my job trying to get back on my feet when this joint came out. Since the release of his debut NoFace has rocked numerous shows and even some festivals. Now here we are nine months later with his follow-up EP “Never Fear Rejection”.

With six tracks in this installment, NoFace sounds more comfortable and confident on the mic this time around and this is heard throughout the entire project. In both the intro and the single “No Grammys” NoFace speaks on not being swayed or persuaded by accolades. Breaking into the mainstream isn’t the mission, NoFace has the talent to change the game with his grind and talent.

There is a loose theme of not being afraid of rejection and just being yourself, that said NoFace is still being personal and bringing you into his life. While I didn’t expect it, “Velma’s Interlude” is actually my favorite track. It’s short, sweet and to the point, but so pertinent and heavy with emotion of where NoFace has been this year. The album closes with “Divulgence” and it works perfectly to really bring the project together. NoFace choosing to mix his story with the more upbeat joints is a good move on his part.

“Never Fear Rejection” is a great follow-up to the “Wintercoat” EP. Where “Wintercoat” was very personal and honestly had a bit colder of a tone to it, “Never Fear Rejection” calls us to pursue our dreams and goals regardless of naysayers including ourselves. My only gripe with the EP was “Stranger Things” it didn’t really seem to fit with the rest of the joints. Other than that I suggest giving NoFace a shot, you’ll like what you hear.

Christian Hip-Hop (yup that’s where we’re going) has gotten a mixed reception pretty much since its inception. We’ve heard it all right? CHH is boring, predictable or just artists trying to be “Christian” versions of mainstream artists. Since I started writing about hip-hop almost a decade ago, I’ve been into Christian Hip Hop and honestly want to see the genre do better. One of the artists I feel are pushing the genre where it should be is Andre Balboa.

Today we’re going through his “Choir Practice” EP and in my eyes it’s a proper prequel to his upcoming full-length album “Preaching to the Choir”. This EP is only four tracks deep but I already like what Balboa is coming with on this joint. One of my biggest issues with CHH is this “I’m perfect and you’re all sinners” mentality that some of the lyrics comes with, but off top Balboa puts himself with the listener in “Hypocrites”.

All four songs genuinely put Christians on notice and Balboa even puts himself on notice spending the project reflecting on his actions and how he walks. The production takes more of a wavy, hazy approach and it fits the darker more personal tone of this project. I think the “Choir Practice” EP will make a ton more sense when paired with the LP, but this project is a great sample by itself. Check out “Choir Practice” below and keep it locked here Andre Balboa’s “Preaching to the Choir” will be out in 2018.

Earlier this year I introduced you to Kamron Bahani a New York emcee. Along with that introduction came his debut project “DSM VI”. I felt it was a clever EP that really gave a face to a lot of the mental health issues we face. I’m a sucker for any artist who actually opens themselves up personally, but to add to that (and I’ve said this a million times) he has raw talent, flow and vocabulary. Now we’re here with his first full length project “By The River”, ten tracks deep, let’s jump in.

There’s more going on this time around with Kamron Bahani, more subjects, more rapid fire flow and more experiments. “JoeBuddenMightLikeSomeOfMyShit” starts the album off, with Bahani going in. To me though the real showstopper is “Pistola” a true showcase of Bahani’s abilities and honestly a track I think we’ll be hearing more of soon. In the age of the Lil Yachtys, Futures etc, Bahani mixes a bit of vintage with new school.

For the most part Bahani’s experiments works, sometimes though it comes off a bit jarring or flat. “Ride or Die” is a tale of heartbreak, Kamron Bahani, grabs you by the heartstrings from the minute he starts rapping. However then the hook comes and the lyrics, again are perfect and fit the track, but Bahani is no singer. Some backing vocals or even someone else singing the hook would’ve given the track more life, with Bahani it slowed the cadence and flow of the track. “Common” faces something of the same problem, “Scootz” Bahani tears the beat to shreds, but the hook is something we’ve heard many songs before this one and doesn’t really offer anything different.

“By The River” is a slightly less focused effort in comparison to his previous work in “DSM VI”. This isn’t entirely a bad thing because he’s extending his reach, however the execution in some of the hooks and singing doesn’t fit. Kamron Bahani comes through again with no guest features giving him the brunt of the work on this project and it works. Bahani is still learning his place in this and “By The River” is a very encouraging stepping stone as he moves forward in his career.

Kentucky’s Cub Capulet is a romantic, there’s no doubt about that, however Cub Capulet has also been burned by love before. Both sides of this coin and more are covered in Capulet’s EP “Love in Concert”.

It’s clear Capulet is at least inspired by artists like The Weekend and Drake, but those inspirations don’t define the music he’s creating. “Love In Concert” loosely pieces together all the facets we deal with in relationships. Throughout all of this, aside from one track that features Nemo Achida & Swave, Capulet is the star of the show. We get his emotions, his feelings and his stories in this, Capulet definitely wears his heart on his sleeve and leaves everything on the table in “Love In Concert”.

The upbeat production I think is one of many things that separates Cub Capulet from others in the same lane. What impresses me most about Cub Capulet is his ability to change his approach, none of this project is monotonous. From the brutal honesty throughout the project to the absolutely perfect closer in “Life Goes On”

Cub Capulet shows his overwhelming potential in “Love In Concert”. It’s rare these days that we see conceptual projects let alone in the short-form EP that we have here. I strongly encourage giving “Love In Concert” a proper listen…..just try not to get too deep in your feels.

I don’t hear about projects like these anymore but imagine this: two emcees head on tour and find themselves free for a couple of days in Illinois. Two other emcees from Illinois also have these days free, the four artists come together and decide to knock out a project in a couple days and release it to the world. That’s what happened with Scribbling Idiot emcees Cas Metah and Mouf Warren and KMF artists Lyriz & R.U.S.H. The four artists have known each other for years, collaborated on each others projects, however this is the first time the four artists have come together on a project.

“The #DailyDelivery” EP eight tracks of just straight dope, diverse hip-hop, no gimmicks just good art. Lyrically I’ve been kind of waiting for Cas Metah and Mouf to snap and they’ve done it on it this joint. As a group the four of them fit like a glove, it’s the result of years of working separately and together over the years. The production is ok, but isn’t meant to be the main focus on this project and honestly given the time constraints makes sense.

We get a mix of topics on this album and everyone gets their time to shine. While I respect all four of the artists on this project, R.U.S.H’s hooks really brought the songs together. Tracks like “Bars” has the group coming in with their best lines on an !llmind beat. “Cruel to Me” hit me right in the feels, with lyrics on broken relationships and the pain associated with them. The only track I didn’t really mess with was “National Defecate” but in the right space it’s a pretty funny track.

“The #DailyDelivery” EP is flying under your radar and it shouldn’t be. Every artist brings something different to the table and the chemistry between them shows despite this being their first project. Cas Metah’s gritty bars, Mouf Warren’s rapid fire flow, Lyriz’ always personal lyrics and R.U.S.H bringing his unique flow and singing, makes for a great project. You can stream “The #DailyDelivery” EP below and if you like what you hear you can actually download it for free.